Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from a strategic meeting in Port Harcourt Wednesday morning insisting that Iyorchia Ayu must step down as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The marathon meeting which began at about 8pm on Tuesday lasted up until 4am Wednesday morning.
The meeting was convened by the Ayu-must-go vanguards to review recent developments in the opposition party following the contentious vote of confidence passed on Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman by the National Working Committee (NWC).
Chief Bode George while presenting the decision reached at the meeting said, the group resolved that Senator Ayu must resign for "an acting national chairman of Southern Nigeria extraction to emerge to lead the party's 2023 political campaigns."
Cheif George added that, they also resolved not to participate in the 2023 Presidential campaign council which was recently constituted, if Senator Ayu remains Chairman.
Senator Jang for his part said the PDP was founded on the principle of justice, fairness and equity, noting that Governor Wike's stance on the leadership of the party is not alien to the party's core values.
Also speaking, the Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde said, their position on the lopsidedness in the current leadership of the PDP has not changed.
The crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not come to an end soon if Tuesday night meeting is anything to go by, in what appears now to be a race against time as Presidential campaigns officially flags off on September 28th.
Professor Jerry Gana emphasized that allies of the Rivers state governors are not aggrieved but that Ayu’s continuous stay in office undermines the constitution and unity of the party.
Those in attendance at the meeting include, include founding members of the party, Governorship candidates, former Governors, former Ministers and leaders of the party from across the country.
The Latest development from Port Harcourt puts pressure on the reconciliation move of the party as failure to address this seeming discontent may affect the fortunes of the party in the next general elections.